The Avatar's Prayer
by Amira Elizabeth
Summary: When Toph casually asks Aang about his tattoos, it leads Aang to think of a time long past and a ritual that became the defining moment of his childhood.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This is a story of memories and of an event that was defining. I've always been fascinated with rituals and ceremonies. So writing this appealed to me.**

"**Suji" from what I have researched is Japanese for "line." It sort of fit well in this story.**

**Text in italics are flashbacks.**

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**Chapter 1**

**"Did it hurt?" Toph asked, settling herself down next to the young Avatar.**

**They had just finished an earthbending lesson and were resting under the shade of a tree. It was times like these when Aang liked Toph's company. She was much like the girl who took a walk with him in the garden of her parents' estate, who proudly explained how her blindness never stopped her from being the great earthbender she knew she was. It was a far cry from the girl who had just spent the past hour yelling at him.**

**"Did what hurt?"**

**"Your tattoos. Katara said they are all over your body." The girl knew what saying Katara's name would do to the airbender and she chuckled at the image her mind was pulling up of a blushing Aang. Shehad only been with the group for a few weeks, but she had guessed Aang's feelings for the water tribe girl almost immediately. She may have born blind, but she wasn't born dense.**

**Aang cleared his throat nervously. The idea that the waterbender had been noticing his body did in fact make the boy blush with a mixture of embarrassment and delight.**

**"Not all over. Just on my arms, legs, back, and head."**

**"That sounds like all over to me." Toph smiled wryly. They were silent for a few moments. "You never answered my question. Did it hurt?"**

**Aang sighed heavily. His past was not something he readily talked about and he wasn't sure if he was ready to share the story. It was the one thing he had left of his life in the temple that was still sacred. He could remember asking other monks what the ceremony was like, what being tattooed felt like, what was said, who was there, and each time he was shooed away.**

"_It's sacred, Aang. Becoming a master is intense and personal. You won't find anyone that will share it with you." Gyatso had told him when the boy confronted him about the lack of response to the questions. The elder monk's answer had frustrated Aang. Here he was, about to go through the same ceremony, and no one would tell him anything about it. But it was like many things at the temple, shrouded in mystery and secrecy. It was just one of the traditions, Gyatso had said._

**As silly as it probably was, he somehow felt it was important to keep the tradition. And besides, why would she want to know about his tattoos anyway and why now? Just one more thing to use as ammunition against him if he failed he figured.**

**Aang curled his knees into his chest and wrapped his arms around them as his mind pulled up vivid images of that long-ago important day. It was painful for him, as remembering his past often was and he silently cursed Toph for making him think of it.**

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_**One hundred and three years ago…**_

"_Now Aang, don't be afraid. We all go through this when we achieve the rank of 'Master.'" The elderly monk patted his shoulder reassuringly, but it did nothing to calm the fear that was churning the boy's stomach like a storm. _

_He was only a few weeks away from his tenth birthday and already he was facing something that so far had been reserved only for initiates at least fourteen or fifteen years of age. Aang had scored well on his examinations, in fact he had the highest scores of any initiate in over one hundred years. His teachers knew why of course, but they had allowed him to believe that his abilities were due to him being something of a prodigy and they congratulated him as such. Now was not the time to tell him of his destiny. _

_Monk Gyatso pushed open the door to one of the temple's prayer rooms and the heavy smell of burning incense and candles filled Aang's nose, causing a tingling sensation to travel up into his head. He sneezed as quietly as he could, but it still earned him a disapproving frown from the temple's head monk, Shiatu, who was waiting for him inside._

_Aang's guardian led him into the room, the boy nervously clutching onto his hand. The monk Suji, a rather thin, bony looking man with a short gray beard, was already waiting for them. He was revered for his abilities in tattooing and it was the Southern Air temple's good fortune that he was a resident. The tatoo artist sat on cross-legged on a cushion, his eyes closed and fists together, meditating. He had to be properly prepared to do the task ahead of him. Tattooing was difficult not only for the initiate, but for the artist as well, requiring a steady and quick hand._

_The boy looked around the room, eyeing everything with a mixture of fear and curiosity. A soft pallet had been set up, a pillow was at one end and a thin folded blanket was at the other. Two cushions were next to the pallet and the boy assumed they were for the two older monks. A few earthenware bowls were stacked next to the pallet, folded cloths sat in a pile next to the bowls, and a few jugs of what Aang guessed was water sat in the corner of the room. A wooden chest with the symbols of the air nation and the temple carved on it sat next to Suji's cushion._

"_Bring the boy here, Gyatso." Shiatu gently ordered. _

_Feeling the pressure on his back from Gyatso's hand, Aang slowly moved towards the head monk. His small hands trembled as he curled one into a fist and clasped the other around it. The boy bowed respectfully and then clasped his pale hands in front of him, eyes cast downward. An initiate was never supposed to raise their eyes to an elder unless given permission and Aang was doing his best to show he held the revered monks in high regard. He wanted to show that he was worthy of the high honor they were about to bestow on him._

"_You have earned this great honor, Aang, through your hard work and dedication to the temple. Becoming a master airbender requires much sacrifice and is reserved for only those willing to make the promise to remain dedicated to airbending and to the temple." The head monk smiled at the boy, who was still looking at his small feet. "Congratulations, my boy._

_His guardian helped him undress and neatly fold his clothing. The nervousness once again gripped the child's stomach and twisted it into a knot. Aang shivered uncontrollably as the air crept over his skin; the little initiate now clothed in nothing but his underwear. Suji held a hand out to the boy to help him onto the pallet and Aang shrank back against Gyatso, clinging very much like the frightened child he was to the elder monk's robes, tears staining his young face. He knew he should be brave, he had earned this honor, he was worthy of it. Aang wanted to show the elder monks that he could be as grown up and mature as the older initiates, but his fear of the unknown got the best of him and he buried his face in Gyatso's robes. _

_Suji was patient, watching as Gyatso knelt down to the Aang's level and brushed the tears from the boy's cheeks. After all, this boy was far younger than any initiate before him and extra care needed to be taken. Gyatso whispered something in Aang's ear and the child's round face broke into a smile. _

"_Really!" Aang exclaimed, his gray eyes shining with excitement. The monk nodded, returning the boy's smile._

"_It is your reward for passing all of your examinations. We were going to tell you after your induction ceremony that we are allowing you to adopt one of the bison in a few weeks…" Gyatso paused and squeezed Aang's shoulder affectionately. "…but somehow I think this is the more appropriate time."_

_A bison! _

_The boy could hardly contain his jubilation, his fear subsiding just a bit. A bison! Only the older boys got to adopt one of the bison and they even had to pass a course in caring for a bison before they could adopt one. Aang knew exactly which bison he wanted. It was the one that gave him sloppy drool-saturated bison kisses whenever the child brought it a treat._

**The boy smiled at the thought. Some memories weren't all painful. Finding out he was going to be able to adopt Appa certainly wasn't. Appa had meant freedom of a sort for him and once he had Appa there was no grounding him. He developed a taste for travel after adopting the large fluffy creature and it was on his travels that he met his friends from all the nations. Friends he now missed terribly.**

**Appa had been a special gift. Of course now he realized why and had he known at the time that he was the Avatar it would have all made sense, but to a nearly ten year old boy, this wasn't a gift to be questioned. He would have accepted it and thought it was the greatest thing ever. He wouldn't have thought that it singled him out or that it was done with a reason. He would have seen it as something purely for his enjoyment and as a reward for his hard work. And at times it was the state of ignorance the monks had kept him in that now made Aang at times angry and resentful. He would have understood the resentment that had been directed at him by some of the other initiates, he would have understood why he was so gifted, and he would have understood why others were given choices he himself was denied.**

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Chapter Two is Coming Soon... 


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: This chapter continues Aang's tattooing ceremony. I decided to depict it with only a couple of monks in attendance because of Aang's age and because I do think it would have been a very personal experience with only the initiate's mentor and the head monk in attendance.**

**I did a little research for this and found that a style of Japanese tattooing called "Tebori" resembled best what I was thinking for this story so I used it as a model for Aang's ceremony.**

**Vayu: Hindu diety of the air**

**Akasha (Aka Sha in my story): is the Hindu "fifth element."**

**Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 2**

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**One hundred and three years ago…**

_Aang's excitement and bright smile didn't fade and he settled himself on the pallet, watching as Gyatso filled a couple of the bowls with water and placed a couple of the cloths into one of the bowls he had just filled. Monk Suji opened the wooden chest and began pulling smaller boxes out of it. He unrolled a strip of gold colored cloth and then opened the boxes, laying the instruments upon the cloth. _

_Aang felt the fear return as he saw Suji lay needles on the cloth. The monk smiled at the boy, trying to reassure him._

"_There is nothing to fear, little initiate. I have been doing this for many decades. I know to be quick." _

_Suji continued to prepare, this time laying jars of bluish liquid next to the tattooing instruments. Once he was finished, he sat back on his heels and folded his hands in his lap. Shiatu and Gyatso each knelt on one of the cushions near the pallet and all three monks assumed the position used for prayer, fists held together so that the arrows on each monks' hands pointed towards each other._

_Then three monks began to chant the prayer to Vayu, the Spirit of the Air, asking for protection for the child and for the Spirit to accept the boy as one of His mortal representatives. Aang sat silently, eyes closed, kneeling on the pallet, trembling hands held in the proper position, listening as they prayed for him. At one point the three monks became silent and Aang began his portion of the prayer. His voice was small, tinged with nervousness, and yet he managed to speak the entire verse just as Gyatso had taught him. As he finished, his young mind pulled up an image of his guardian smiling proudly at how well his young charge had handled the difficult verse._

_Shiatu and Gyatso began chanting another prayer, one Aang had never heard and in a language he was unfamiliar with. A couple of years later Gyatso would tell him it was the Aka Sha, the Avatar's prayer. It was said in a language no longer spoken except in special situations. Once the head monks had learned of Aang's identity, they had learned the prayer knowing that it would be used._

_After the prayers were finished, Suji gestured for Aang to lay face down on the pallet. The boy complied, his head resting on the pillow. The tattoo artist moved Aang's arms to his sides and studied the child's form. Every monk was tattooed with the same design, but Suji knew that each tattoo was as unique as the body it was on._

_The tattoo artist positioned himself by the small of Aang's back and carefully folded the waistband of the boy's underwear back to reveal a few more inches of his skin. The child's back was the first area to be done as all of the markings were to branch off of main tattoo. It was important that the end of the tattoo be hidden beneath the waistband of his clothes so to give the illusion that it was like the wind, forever continuous and never ending. The monk picked up his needle, saturated it with ink, and prepared to begin the process. _

_Aang felt Suji's hand on his back, the monk's fingers stretching the boy's pale skin taught. The little initiate reached a hand out to Gyatso, silently asking for support, his gentle features tight with fear and nervousness. The elderly man took the boy's hand in his own and Aang felt a soft squeeze._

_Suji positioned the long needle over his thumb which was now positioned on the boy's back and using the fingers of his other hand, he pushed the needle into Aang's pale skin repeatedly. He gasped as the pain washed over him like a tidal wave, sending a horrible burning sensation over his entire body. Wave and wave of pain hit each time the needle went in. He squeezed Gyatso's hand tighter and tighter, tears streaming down his cheeks as he sobbed. He could hear his guardian's gentle voice comforting him, telling him stories of the great airbenders before him. Anything to distract him from his pain._

_After what seemed like eternity, the needle stopped. Gyatso pulled out one of the cloths that had been soaking in a nearby bowl of water and placed it on Aang's forehead. The boy was covered in a thin sheen of sweat, his poor stomach tumbling with nausea, and his little body was shaking uncontrollably._

_Aang could hear voices around him and he tried to make his mind focus, but it was like he was in a thick fog. His head was pounding, he could feel his chest heaving as he tried to breathe the sensations of pain and sickness away._

"_He feels feverish. I think he's becoming ill."_

"_And the tattoos are only halfway done. Are you sure he'll be able to endure the process?"_

"_Better that it is finished now. To come back later and finish could make any possible infection worse. Trust me, I'll be quick."_

_The voices blurred together as Aang slipped into unconsciousness._


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Text in italics are flashbacks. I would like to thank all of my reviewers for the positive feedback on this story. And I'd like to thank Effie's Head for making Aang's world come alive for me. You must read...go...read Effie's work. There will be more to come...Enjoy!**

**_CHAPTER 3_**

'It's all right, my precious one. I'm here with you.'

Soft fingers caressed his cheek and he felt a light kiss on his forehead. Aang blinked and found himself looking into a pair of grey eyes. He saw a smile much like his own, brightening a lovely young face.

'You'll be all right. Always remember, my angel that I'm here with you. I will always be with you.' She began to grow fainter, becoming transparent.

"No, please don't go…" He tried to find his voice. "Please don't go!" The boy felt tears on his cheeks and a panicked feeling came over him.

"_Don't go!"_

_Aang awoke, afraid and disoriented. Tears were streaming down his cheeks, sweat sticking to him, his whole being shaking with panic. How long had he been unconscious? His eyes darted over the room and he realized that he was still in the prayer chamber, stretched out on his stomach on the pallet. There was no one in the room and he wondered where the monks had gone. The room was bright with sunshine and the heavy incense smell no longer hung in the air, instead it had been replaced with the fresh smell of spring air coming in from outside._

_He felt horribly nauseated and he tried to roll over onto his side, but a stabbing pain suddenly coursed through his body and he cried out. It was times like these, when he was sick and frightened, that Aang probably felt the need for a mother most of all. Despite never knowing his family, he still had the same needs as any other child for comfort and affection. Some of the other boys were still in contact with their families, many times he had heard them speak of their mothers, and he had seen the women who excitedly hugged their sons when it was "Family Day" at the temple. He couldn't help but imagine a gentle feminine face smiling at him, holding him close, and singing softly in an effort to comfort him. Instead it was Gyatso who rushed into the room at the sound of his cry._

"_Aang, it's all right. I'm here." The child smiled weakly as the elder monk felt his forehead and gently wiped his face with a cool, damp cloth. _

"_Much better." The monk said. "Your fever has broken. We were worried there for a few days. We honestly didn't think you would become this ill, but thankfully we were prepared for it just in case."_

"_How long have I been asleep?" Aang managed to croak out. His voice sounded hoarse, unused, and exhausted. "Was it a long time? Did Monk Suji finish my tattoos?"_

"_A few days. It took Suji three days to complete your tattoos and you slept for three more days after that." Gyatso once again wiped the damp cloth over Aang's round face. The boy tried to move once again and it was at that moment he became aware of two things: a sticky, cold substance on his head and the bandages wound tightly around his body and limbs._

"_What is this stuff all over me?" The boy made a face. "It's sticky and uncomfortable. And it smells."_

"_It's to help with infection and helps your skin heal faster. Trust me you will appreciate it before long. Now, let's see how those tattoos look." The elder monk said with a smile. Aang watched as Gyatso unwound the bandages that covered his right arm and hand. When he could see the skin finally exposed, he panicked. It was awful! The skin was red and irritated and the tattoo was not the bright blue color he was expecting, instead it was a sickly purplish color. Aang was horrified. Did his entire body look like that? What had they done to him? He felt tears sting his eyes and he tried to blink them back._

"_It…it looks awful." Aang whispered. The visions he had of winding blue markings elegantly decorating his frame, the looks of envy from he had imagined getting from his friends when they saw him, it was all shattered by the realization that he was covered in an ugly bruised mess of lines and arrows. Tears of disappointment spilled down his cheeks._

"_Aang, I know it looks bad right now, but everything will start looking better as you heal. Trust me. When I went through the process, I came out of it about fours shades of purple and horribly swollen."_

"_Really?"_

_Gyatso nodded and smiled. "You'll look and feel better in a few days."_

_The boy managed a small smile in return as a wave of relief washed over him._

_Gyatso had been right. Within a few days the look of his skin improved and he could see the blue color emerging from behind the bruised flesh. After a few days of lying in the prayer chamber to heal, he had been moved to his room and his excited friends eagerly clustered at the foot of his bed, all of their eyes widening with awe as Aang showed off every inch of his tattoos._

"_See!" An excited Aang was standing on his bed, wearing nothing but his underwear, turning around so every line and arrow could be seen. The younger boys giggled at the scrawny almost ten-year old, unable to fully understand the significance of the markings. The older boys, especially the ones nearing the age to be initiated, stared at the tattoos with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation._

_One of the younger boys pointed at Aang's back and the tattooed line running down the length of his spine and disappearing into his underwear. "Look, I bet it's on his butt."_

_The comment sent the younger initiates once again into a fit of giggles. Aang shot them what he thought was his best menacing glare. _

"_It is not." He said, indignantly. "If it was, I couldn't do this…"_

_Aang flopped onto his bed, landing hard on his backside. The younger boys stopped giggling. The older initiates pushed the younger ones out of the way and began questioning him, wanting him to divulge every aspect of his ordeal._

"_Were you nervous?" _

"_Did it hurt?"_

"_Did you throw up? I bet you did."_

"_Did you cry?"_

"_Who was there? Was Monk Suji there? I heard he's mean."_

"_Are you naked when they tattoo you? I bet you are. Oh I couldn't lie there like that!"_

_Aang smiled and shook his head. Gyatso had warned him that there would be questions. Aang himself had asked those very same questions and he could see the frustration in the eyes of his friends at his refusal to answer them. He himself had felt that frustration. But it made him feel older to know that he had such an important secret to keep, that he was now a part of a great tradition. _

**The young Avatar had indeed felt a change come over him that day, he suddenly felt different, wiser, much more so than the boys surrounding him. He felt like a Master Airbender. He had known during his examinations, the eyes of the Council trained on his every move, that he was worthy of being called a Master. The placement of his slightly narrow feet, the position of his body, the extension of his arms down to the tips of his fingers, all speaking to his skills as an airbender.**

**Aang had passed, no negative marks. He had heard the murmurs of the Council behind him as Gyatso led him out of the Council Chamber.**

"_Definitely gifted…"_

"_Yes…there are certainly no doubts now."_

**At that time he had not understood what doubts they were referring to. But he certainly knew now.**


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